Gray Lake Wolves Part 7

I woke up to a slow burn baking the insides of my lower belly. Grayson’s chest pushed against my bare back. His arm left a searing trail where it laid against my side leading to his hand, which was cupping my breast. The more I woke up, the hotter the blaze inside me burned until I felt my pupils dilate and my wolf brushed against the inside of my mind, bursting my body into an fiery inferno.

I finally understood why they called this the heat. It wasn’t like this before. My last cycle I felt agitated and restless, but I was able to have rational thoughts and my body never felt like it was melting. But now, with my mate’s scent seeping into my nostrils, I couldn’t contain myself.

I rolled over and pushed Grayson to his back. His eyes popped open when I straddled his lap. They darken to the nearly black shade I love so much as he takes me in. I can imagine how wild I must look, naked, eyes dilated, panting and grinding on him with my hair falling wildly around my shoulders and down to my waist.

He starts a slow pursuit of my body, starting at my hands that are braced on his pectoral muscles, smoothes his hands up my arms, over my collar bone, and down to my breasts. He cups each one, testing the weight and feel, before brushing his thumbs over my taut nipples. They harden even more and I push my breasts into his hands. They feel heavy and ache with need. His hands slide down my stomach, making me whimper and grind harder onto his fully erect cock. His touch somehow extinguishes the fire burning inside of me while simultaneously stoking it back up to a scorching heat.

His hand stills just bellow my belly button and he flattens his palm. His lips twitch, then spread to a full smile, one that I can’t help but to mimic. I know what he’s thinking, but he tells me anyway in a deep whisper. “I’m going to put a baby in there,” he says, stroking the smooth skin and making me groan.

He pulls me down and sweetly rubs his nose over mine. He presses his forehead to mine as he looks deeply into my eyes. I try to pull away, whimpering and frantically rubbing myself against him, but he pulls me back by my neck roughly with my slight growl. I submit, resting my head against his and locking my eyes on his. The connection makes are bond flare to life. His emotions run into mine. Hope, arousal, but most of all, love.

He’s in love with me.

He hasn’t said it yet, but I haven’t said it to him yet either though I have known with certainty for a few days. Neither of us needs to say it when it shines so brightly through our bond.

Grayson takes my lips for one sweet, loving kiss before dropping his face to nuzzle into where my shoulder meets my neck. He takes a deep audible breath and the atmosphere of the room changes instantly.

He growls, rolling us over and then flipping me onto my stomach. His wolf emerges as he pulls my hips up and slams into me, making me cry out. He pauses, fighting with his humanity to make sure I’m okay, but when I push back into him, he transforms. His shape is still very human, but it is obvious that his wolf has taken over completely on the inside.

My human side submits to the inner shift as well and I growl. Grayson’s hands are everywhere, running up my back, gripping my hips, pinching my tight nipples, flicking my clit. He pounds on and on, not stopping when I come the first time or the second. Finally, as my third orgasm melts into a forth, I feel his cock spurting hot semen deep inside me. Exhausted, we both roll over and burrow into each other before falling asleep.

~

We woke, only to have wild animalistic sex over and over again and falling back asleep. Someone kept us supplied with water and snacks by leaving a tray outside the attic door, but other than that, we had no connection to the pack for three days.

When we awoke on the forth day, the burn was gone. Grayson pulled me close and nuzzled into my neck. “It’s over,” he whispered into my hair, “Welcome back.”

I smiled and rolled over to face him. He gave me a boyishly happy grin while placing his palm on my lower abdomen. My smile faded. “I might not get pregnant this time,” I warned him, my voicing sounding sad even to me.

“Then we get to try again,” he said, punctuating his statement with a kiss. “And again,” kiss, “and again,” kiss, “and again...”

“Okay, okay!” I laughed, “I get it! Let’s go take a shower and make sure the pack didn’t kill each other.”

All was well with in the pack. We congratulated not just one, but two newly mated couples. River wore his mark proudly, while ducked her head and smiled shyly when Grayson pretended to be disturbed by the thought of his sister and best friend together.

The other couple was Iris and our newest pack member, Niko. I don’t know what I expected from him, but I never guess he would be this wide, hairy, bear of a man. Shorter than Grayson, but just as wide, with an unruly mop of curly black hair and an even more unruly black beard, he looks like the definition of a mountain man. It is almost comical to see Iris, with her honey blonde hair and petite features, sitting on his lap and gazing up at him adoringly.

I watch them for a moment, completely intrigued by this odd couple. She whispers something to him, her lips brushing his ear with every word. His mouth quirks up at the corner forming a small smirk, the only expression on his otherwise stoic face. His hand travels from the spot low on her back to the hem of her short dress, which is bunched up around the tops of her thighs. His hand sneaks in and I watch as it makes contact with her ass and she grinds into him. It is strangely erotic to witness their intimacy.

They untangle themselves as we get closer and get up to great us. “Hello, Alpha Grayson. Thank you for requesting my transfer,” Niko said, surprising me when he spoke with a very strong Russian accent.

“You have my mate to thank for that one,” Grayson replied with a smile, throwing his arm around my waist and pulling me in tight. “I don’t think anyone from the Harbor Springs pack realized the extent of your relationship. I see congratulations are in order.”

Iris stepped in then, to give me a quick hug and a whispered “thank you” in my ear. “Niko, this is Clara, Grayson’s mate.”

Later, when we are alone, I ask Grayson about this mysterious Niko, “So he is a transfer from Russia?”

Grayson takes a pull of his beer and props his feet up on the rail of the deck where we are relaxing and enjoying the sunset. “Yep. His whole family. There are six of them in total in Harbor Springs. That’s one of the reasons he wasn’t added to the transfer list.”

I nod, understanding. Most wolves spend their entire lives in one pack. Occasionally, they switch packs once, but switching more than that is frowned upon. They get called pack hoppers, wanderers, nomads, or the worst, deserters.

“My Dad spoke openly with him. He admitted that he was planning on mating with Iris and the move changed his plans. We all thought it would be for the best if he switched with one of our pack members. Eric, one of our youngest males, was having a hard time without his family. He was eager to go back and offered when he heard that we trying to get Niko. This all happened because of you. An Alpha is in charge of his pack’s happiness. This is why you are the other half of my soul.”

His pride and love showed through the bond. “Things will be interesting between Niko and Griffin,” I said.

Grayson laughed. “They will. Niko is all about honor and obeying his alpha, but I can’t imagine having to be around someone who fucked my mate. I’m glad the Pine Mountain pack went though so much to keep your virginity intact.”

“What?” I asked playfully, “You don’t want to share?”

“Never, ever, ever,” he mumbled against my lips.

~

The pack was back to business as usual. I couldn’t get through a day without someone giving me a good sniff. Mandy and Iris were the worst, but Grayson scared them off with a threatening growl. It didn’t really stop them, now they just try to be stealthy.

The last person I was expecting it from was Bug, but she cornered me in the kitchen and took a deep breath. “Really?” I asked her, quirking an eyebrow. Over the past couple weeks we have developed a strong friendship, which pleases both Grayson and River. Not only do we have a strong mated alpha couple, but a strong mated beta couple too.

“What?” She shrugs unapologetically, “My heat cycle is starting soon and I need to know if we have the go ahead to make a pup. You have to go first, oh alpha, my alpha.”

I laugh at her sense of humor, which is bizarre to say the least. Growing up with five older brothers, Bug developed a shocking sense of humor and an attitude that can keep up with those five full grown alphas.

“I didn’t know you wanted a pup!”

She tries to look indifferent, but fails and covers her face with her hands. “Yes, I do, and you have to know that’s why Mandy and Iris are always sniffing around you too. We all want this pack to grow. We are waiting for you to start the next generation. Your baby will grow up to lead this pack.”

I never thought of it that way and tears flood to my eyes. I imagined our child playing along side the children of Bug, Mandy, and Iris, but I never took it farther. To imagine them as adults, leading the pack alongside their parents.

“Aww, Princess is weepy. Does that mean she has a little prince in her belly?” River asked as he came around the corner and wrapped an arm around my shoulders. 

“You two, leave her alone!” Grayson growls, walking in behind River.

Bug, not intimidated by the looming alpha in front of her, pokes him in the chest. “Don’t act like your not trying to catch a new scent every time she walks by too.”

Grayson growls again, but River completely interrupts him by changing the subject. “So, we have some good news and bad news, what do you want to hear first?”

“Good,” I tell him.

“We have three clients asking for personalized pieces. The revenue from those pieces alone can fund the pack for the rest of the year, never mind the stock items that are selling like hot cakes.”

“What are hot cakes?” Bug asks.

“And the bad news?” I ask, ignoring her.

It’s Grayson that answers this time. “The clutch is burnt out on the truck. That’s what I get for letting a Russian drive. It’s going to be a few more days before the part we need comes in, so I’m going to have to run to town.”

“Run?” I ask, “but that will take all day. You have three clients? How long are you going to have to stay?” The pitch in my voice gets higher as I trail off.

Grayson winces. “Five days. I need to wait for the clutch to come in too, so it might end up being closer to a week. I’m going to leave you here with River and Griffin is stepping up to help lead.”

“I can’t come?” I ask hopefully.

He shakes his head. “I need you here. You are the glue that binds this pack together.” Pulling me closer, he continues in a low voice, “I know this is not a good time, but these clients could make or break us. We need this business to fund the pack. It will go by fast and maybe when I get back, you will have a happy surprise for me.” He says the last part with a gentle rub of his thumb against my lower abdomen.

~

A couple days later, Grayson is gone and I’m hanging out at the kitchen island with some of the pack members. Raven walks by and acknowledges me with a glare. Things haven’t gotten better between us, but they aren’t worse either. The stand still is driving me crazy. I feel like she’s plotting.

River walks in and tries to give me a discrete sniff, but everyone catches it anyway. “I don’t know why you are all walking around with your noses stuck in her ass. She’s not pregnant. Get over it. She probably can’t even get pregnant. Look at the size of her hips,” Raven grumbles with a arm swinging out to point out my flaws.

Taking a breath so I don’t strangle her where she stands, I decide to educate her. “Human women have hips that widen during child birth, but since I’m a shifter and my body is already use to changing, my hips will definitely allow for a child.”

I swing around to face River and the girls. “And you guys, I don’t mind if you check my scent, but you don’t need to look so sad if nothing changes. It’s okay. I don’t mind. That just means I get to try all over again with Grayson.”

I’m just repeating what Grayson said to me, but when I look to Raven I see that the trick worked. Her smug smile is gone. “What is it like?” Mandy blurts out.

“Intense,” I smile, “I don’t know how it was for Grayson, but the best word to describe it for me was intense.”

River chuckles and I raise my eyebrows at him. “What? What did he tell you?” I ask punching him in the shoulder as he shakes his head still laughing.

“I can’t...” He starts, then bursts out laughing again.

“River!” I yell with another hit to his shoulder.

“Everything Grayson tells me is confidential!” He yells back, still shaking with laughter.

My hits continue and Bug joins in until River folds. “Okay, okay!” He says with his hands raised, “but, I swear to God, if this gets back to Grayson I am going to tell him that you tortured it out of me.”

He runs his fingers down his face to calm himself. “I brought up some dinner for you and when I went to leave it at the door, Grayson opened it like a wild animal. Seriously, he was like half shifted, panting, and completely naked.

“He scared me a little bit so I was like, ‘What’s up, man?’ and he starts freaking the fuck out about how crazy he is going, how hard his dick is, how much your scent and the sight of your naked body is effecting him.”

“Where was I?” I ask, confused because I never stepped out of the room during the days of my heat.

“Sleeping. He didn’t want to wake you.”

“Awww!” Mandy and Iris both call out. I look up and notice that Raven is still there, listening to the story, her face pale.

“I’m pretty sure I don’t want to hear about this, but what did you say to him?” Bug asks.

River chuckles. “I told him to wake her up and fuck her, of course.”

“Did he?” Mandy blurts out and I’m beginning to realize that this girl has absolutely no filter on her mouth.

I open my mouth, but River beats me to it. “She was moaning before I even got down the stairs.”

That comment gets a series of whoops and hollers. My cheeks tint pink. “Don’t be embarrassed, Princess,” River says, sincere expression cloudy his normally goofy face.

“No, don’t be,” Bug says, giving me a sideways hug. She doesn’t let go as she continues speaking, “As wolves, we love intimacy. We like touching, we like watching other touch. I saw you watching Iris and Niko. That feeling you felt, multiply that by five and that’s how we feel when we see you and Grayson.”

I smile just as Griffin walks into the kitchen with a stranger. As he walks closer, I realize it’s not a stranger, but Griffin and Paloma’s father, from the Pine Mountain pack, but the solemn look on his face is something I’ve never seen on him before.

I stand up to greet him with my pack flanking my backside. “Clara,” he starts, “I’m so sorry. Your father...” His voice chokes out, but I still understood the message.

“He’s dead?” I ask, my voice void of emotion.

He nods and my stomach sinks.

“What happened?” I ask.

“Hunters. He was on his way back from visiting with Monadnock with Sable, Snow, and Aspen. He sent them ahead and he was shot. It was too fast. They shot to kill.”

I feel the hands of my pack members rubbing my arms, holding my hands, touching my back. They are all behind me. Supporting me. “I need to go... I need to see my sister. I need to bury him.” My throat is thick with emotion.

“Wait for Grayson to get back. I’ll send someone to get him,” River says.

“I can’t. Have him meet me. I have to go.”

River tries to get me to change my mind, but I won’t. “I’ll go with her,” someone says and I look up, meeting Griffin’s eyes. I nod at him and he nods back. We’ll go back. I’ll see Snow and I’ll bury my father. Then I’ll get to the bottom of this because there is no way that my father would let a hunter trail him without noticing. The facts aren’t adding up.

Gray Lake Wolves Part 6

The ride to town is a long one. I sat in the middle, between Grayson and River, messing with an old iPod shuffle that plugged into the radio via cassette adapter. The iPod was a throw back from their college days and it was exciting to see what kind of music Grayson liked. Apparently, he is a 90s punk and grunge lover. The playlists are filled with Sublime, Weezer, and Ben Folds.

Before we left, we went around to the pack members and asked if they needed anything. Now I’m rewriting their personal lists into separate lists for each store. 

“Are you excited that Bug is going to be here soon?” I ask River, using the nick name that everyone else seems to use.

His face lights up immediately and Grayson laughs at him. “So, just a little bit?” I ask, holding up my thumb and pointer finger to indicate the small amount.

“What do you expect? Mama Yara put us together with her voodoo magic?” River says.

“What?” I laugh. “What does that mean?”

River goes wide eyed and looks to Grayson. “You never told her?”

“Told me what?” I ask impatiently.

Grayson is laughing, one hand on the wheel and the other resting  on the seat behind me. “No. Go ahead and tell her.”

“Yara is part human.”

“What?” I gasp.

Grayson laughs again and River continues, “Yeah, like a quarter...” He looks to Grayson, who nods. “Doesn’t matter anyway, all that matters is that her human grandmother was some kind of witch and Yara inherited some of her powers.”

“Really?”

This time Grayson speaks up, “Who really knows? I have no idea if it is that human part of her, but she is able to recognize perfect mates. Mates that compliment each other completely, their pack prosperous, and their children bountiful. She can’t tell you who your mate is, but if she thinks of two wolves and they are perfect, something just clicks.”

“And you and bug are a perfect mates?” I ask River, then I jump to look at Grayson, not bothering to wait for River’s answer. “Are we perfect mates?”

He gives me a silly smile, “Of course, baby.”

“And all your brothers?” I ask, thinking about the crazy amount of children they each have. Shifters tend to have a hard time getting and staying pregnant, so one or two pups are normal. Grayson comes from a huge family and then each one of his brothers is hard at working creating their own extensive brood.

“Yep.”

“Oh shit,” I say, not filtering my thoughts, “We are going to have a ridiculous amount of pups too, aren’t we?”

River and Grayson roar in laughter. “I can’t believe how much shit your pack kept from you. You didn’t even know about you and Gray. That match was made when your mother was still alive.”

My brows knit together. Seriously? It’s bad enough when I thought they kept it from me since I was nine, but now we are talking younger than three? Grayson sees my face and leans in for  a quick kiss. “That isn’t her pack anymore. I’m not keeping her in the dark. We get to decide how we want things done now.”

I’m so in love with him.

“Do you want to hear the story of when my mom first matched us together?” He asks.

“Please” I say, leaning into his side and breathing him in. He smiles down at me and I search for his lips for a little peck.

“A pack to the east of Pine Mountain, where your father’s mate is from...” He starts and I interrupt him to supply him with a name, “Monadnock?”

“That’s it. Their Alpha wanted you for a mate. Your father was interested because it would tie together the two packs closest to civilization on that side, but your mother was hesitant. You were a baby and the Alpha was already in his twenties.”

I blanched, realizing who he was speaking of. Sable, my father’s mate, has a brother that is in his forties and has been alpha for some time, having stepped up when his father was killed in a freak hunting accident. When the Pine Mountain pack meets with Monadnock, they usually go to Monadnock’s land, but I have seen him a few times. Large and burly, with eerie wolf-like yellow eyes, the Monadnock’s alpha is nothing like my muscular, handsome mate.

“My Mom says that your mother convince your father to hold off and see if there were any other potential suitors. When the Harbor Spring pack and Pine Mountain pack merged for their biannual meeting, she pulled my Mom aside and asked her to feel out the match. Of course, there was nothing there. My Mom had never considered matching us together, but after seeing your mother so distraught, she thought of us together and we were perfect. Your father wasn’t convinced. I’m the youngest and so I should have to go start another pack or mate with an Alpha’s daughter to gain his pack. At that point, your mother was pregnant and your father was adamant that it would be a boy and his heir. Bug was just a little thing and my mother couldn’t stand the thought of either of us being so far away. My Mom and your worked out all the details, then got my father in on it. Finally they brought it to your father and he agreed. The rest was history. All the fine details were worked out before they informed me.”

I snuggle into his side and he looks down at me with those beautiful brown eyes that are so dark you can barely tell where his irises end and his pupils begin. “I’m glad my mother had the insight to speak with Yara,” I tell him.

“Me, too,” He smiles and gives me a loving kiss on the top of my head.

I drift off for the rest of the drive, dreaming of sinister yellow eyes, warm dark brown ones, and even affectionate grayish blue that look just like mine, but I know they aren’t. They belong to my mother, my angel, who saved me the day she traded her life for my own, but also saved me long before that when she fought to give me my perfect mate.

~

The town we arrive in is smaller than the one adjacent to Pine Mountain. It’s just a little tourist trap, really, with one long strip of stores, a playground, and a bar. Grayson parks in front of a building with a grand log porch. The sign above has Wapack Woodworks carved into a large plank of wood, similar to the dining room table Grayson built.

As we step out of the truck, an old man with a long white beard and a red flannel shirt comes out to great us. “What are you doing here, boy?” He asks, glaring at Grayson. “Did you bring me some more shit? I barely sold the last batch!”

I look to Grayson, assuming this crazy old man is offending him, but he’s just grinning. “I bet you sold out in a week, old man.”

“Cocky little shit,” the man mutters, then peeks in the back of Grayson’s truck. “Did you get those custom pieces done?”

“Of course,” Grayson says, pulling out a large plaque etched with the name Carson and surrounded by skiers flying down the mountain in a cloud of pines. The man gives a low whistle. “Ain’t she a beauty. We are going to get a pretty penny for this and I saw that Carson lady looking at that fancy table in your book the last time she was in. Wouldn’t be too surprised if they ordered one of those to be done by the winter when they come pick this up.”

When the man looks up from the plaque, he seems to notice me for the first time. “Well, well, what do we have here? Who’s this pretty little thing?”

Grayson wraps an arm around my waist. “This is my wife, Clara. Clara, this is Billy, the owner of Wapack Woodworks.” The way he says wife makes my heart melt a little. Really, mating is even more permanent then human’s marriage, but the ease and swiftness in which he dropped that word makes me happier then he could ever imagine.

“Wife, eh?” Billy asks. “You too look mighty young to be married.”

Grayson smirks and pulls me even tighter against him. “We got married the day after her eighteenth birthday.”

BIlly chuckles. “You dog! I remember what that feels like. I knocked my wife up when she was seventeen, so her daddy let us have a quicky wedding. He didn’t want no bastard grandchild. Best thing that ever happened to me.”

He congratulates us and goes back to looking through the bed of the truck. Grayson lines our hips up and pulls me so close that every inch of the front of his body is touching every inch of mine. He leans in so close that I can taste his breath on my lips. “I’m going to be here for a couple hours getting things priced. Stay close to River. I know you can take care of yourself, but I worry about you when your not right next to me.” He hands me an envelope of cash. “This will cover what everyone asked for and more. Get anything you think we need. Maybe some more books or games. If we don’t keep this pack occupied, we are going to end up blowing all our money on alcohol.” We both laugh.

My lips are tingling from being so close to his so when he finally gives me a sweet kiss goodbye, I’m not ready to let go. I grip his jaw and pull him towards me, sneaking my tongue into his mouth and sucking on his soft lower lip. He growls into my mouth before pulling back. “I’ll see you later,” He says with one last kiss.

Our last stop is a little bookstore across the street from Wapack Woodworks. “This took way less time with the way you organized the lists. I’m going to go check on Gray and see if he’s almost done,” River says, hooking his thumb behind him.

“I’ll be in here,” I say, pointing to the bookstore door. He walks across the street and I enter the store. That powerful smell of books hits my nose and I cough. There’s a petite girl standing behind the counter beside the door. She’s my height, but much thinner and I wonder if she’s naturally thin or if the human ideals have led her to look this way. She has should length blonde hair and blue eyes that fade to hazel around the pupil. Its intriguing and beautiful and I can’t help but to stare for a moment. 

“Lucky girl, he’s a hottie,” she smiles and I don’t understand what she’s talking about. Noting my confusion, she points out the window to where River is walking up to Wapack Woodworks.

“Oh, he’s not mine,” I say surprised. Despite the little conversation I had with Iris, I haven’t had any girl time where we just giggle over boys since I left my best friend, Paloma, at the Pine Mountain pack.

“So, is he single?” the girl asks with a raised eyebrow and half a smirk.

I laugh. “No, he’s with my husband’s sister,” I tell her, feeling a smile come to my face when I call Grayson my husband.

“Ugh! The good ones are always taken!” She says with a false pout. “Husband? He must be pretty cute if he is related to the girl that snagged that hunk of man.”

“Mmhm, tall, dark, and handsome.”

She brings her hands to her chest and crosses them. “A girl after my own heart! Does he have any brothers?”

“Four of them, but they are all married too.”

“Boo!” she cries and I walk away laughing. 

I pick out some new reads and I grab the Twilight Saga because of the movie the pack was watching. I go back up to the counter where the girl is arguing on the phone with someone.

“I’m at work, Pete, I can’t just leave. There are customers here. I have to go,” she says, sounding distressed before she hangs up the phone and places it to the side. She takes a deep breath and turns to face me with a shaky smile on her face. I don’t know what to say, so I just place my books on the counter.

When she gets to Twilight she asks, “So, team Edward or Jacob?”

“Uhhh...” I start, shocked by the sudden change in her attitude. “I’m always team werewolf, no matter what.”

“Mmmm, yes. I want me some werewolf abs. Yum, yum. I’m Ariella, by the way, if you ever find yourself around here again, make sure you stop by.”

“It’s nice to meet you. I’m Clara. My husband is doing business across the street so I’m sure I’ll see you again.”

We say our farewells and I leave to find River sitting on a bench outside. He offers to take my bags for me and I hand them over. “Ooof! What did you buy in there? Bricks?”

“Books!” I laugh.

“It feels more like bricks. I’m going to bring them to the truck. Gray needs another half hour so we can hang out in there or go to Zeb’s,” he says, pointing to a building across the street. The sign says Zeb’s General Store, but it’s two stories tall and looks like the biggest tourist trap I have ever seen. I immediately choose to browse over there, thinking of the board games Grayson suggested.

I tell River and he tells me that he’ll meet me over there after he drops the books off at the truck and tells Grayson where we are going. The wood porch is painted yellow and there’s a tall stuffed bear greeting me at the door. I walk through and I’m bombarded by delicious smells. Glass encased counters line the right side, filled with fudge, cookies, and other treats. Rows of candy, cooking mixes, and novelty kitchen supplies line the other side. A steep staircase sits in the middle of the store and I decide to venture up there first.

It was a good decision because I can see board games ahead of me, but for some reason I keep walking. I pass a sweatshirt with the name of a popular skiing mountain on it. Another that just says New Hampshire. One that says “honk if you love moose” makes me laugh and  before I realize where I’m heading, I find myself in a little corner filled with baby outfits.

I’m drawn, like fish to the water, to a little set. My eyes water as I take it in. The newborn sized onesie is a light gray and has white print that reads “I’m being raised by wolves” on the front. Attached are little matching gray and white striped pants with an all gray wolf embroidered on the bum.

I can’t stop looking at it. Visions from the past and visions that I hope are for the future pass through my mind. Grayson’s and my first mating. Laying in bed talking about his brother’s children. The look in his eyes when he told me he wanted me to have his. Then I imagine my belly growing big with his baby. The way his large hand would hold it protectively while he listened to the heart beat. I picture a tiny newborn with his dark hair and my light eyes dressed up in this outfit.

I’m startled when I feel a hand on my shoulder. I look up at River, who wipes away my tears with the pads of his thumbs. “I know Gray probably gave you some speech about him not caring either way, but that’s a lie. He wants this with you. So badly. It was all he could talk about when we were renovating the cabin. I know he must want it even more now that he loves you.”

That does it for me. I grab the outfit and hold it close while we pick out board games. When we check out, I ask the cashier for a paper bag for the outfit so I can hide it from Grayson. She smiles and gets one from behind the candy counter. We meet back up with Grayson and stop by the farm before heading home.

The ride seems shorter or maybe I’m just too lost in my own head with dreams of baby socks and sweet little feet. Unloading the truck, it’s Grayson that grabs the paper bag. “What’s this?” he asks, looking at River, who is half out of the truck. “If this is that peanut butter fudge, I am going to throw it away. You are going to make yourself sick. Wolves are not suppose to eat that kind of food,” he says, giving River an accusing glare.

“It’s mine,” I say with a shy smile. He looks over at me and I nod, “Go ahead and open it.”

The bag crinkles as he pulls it open. He takes out the outfit and I can tell the exact moment when it stretches out and he can tell what it is. I will never forget the look on his face. It is a look of pure bliss. I have never seen him happier than he is at this exact moment. With his full megawatt grin he asks, “Does this mean what I think it does?”

I nod again and I can’t help the giant smile on my face. He looks like a little boy on his birthday. “Yes!” He shouts, his fist pumping into the sky. “Yes! Yes! Yes!” He continues, getting closer and closer to me until the final word is whispered against my lips. My arms wrap around him. My fingers tangle in his hair. He groans and pulls me over to straddle his lap.

I hear River laugh. “I’m gonna go check the perimeter. You two have fun. Congrats!” He says before shutting the door.

We’re frantic as I unbutton Grayson’s jeans. He slips a hand up my leg, starting at my knee and ending on my ass so that my dress is bunched up around my hips.

“Panties?” He growls before sliding the offensive offensive material to the side and plunging a finger deep inside me. I moan, finally getting his pants undone I pull out his hard cock and line myself up over it. We both watch as I sink down, his thick shaft disappearing into my wet heat. Grayson puts his hands on my hips and guides me up and down aggressively.

“You’re scent is already changing,” he says, thrusting up and hitting just the right spot. “So tight and wet. You feel how hard I am baby? Do you feel how much I want you? I’m going to come so deep inside of you. I bet by the end of next week, you will have my baby growing inside of you.”

His words lead me to completion. “Gray!” I yell out as my pussy spasms around his cock. He pumps a few more times before I feel him shooting his hot come inside of me. He pulls my head down to rest on his forehead. “Fuck,” he laughs, “you make me really happy, incase you couldn’t tell.”

~

The house is empty as we walk through. It was late when we got home, but its even later now that we spent some time having a little romp in the truck. Sitting in the kitchen, hunched over a bowl of leftover beef stew, is a girl I have never seen before. She looks up after hearing us come in and motions to the bowl with her spoon. “This is really good,” she mumbles, trying to keep the stew in her mouth.

Gray drops the bags he was holding and walks over to her with open arms. Seeing them next to each other, it finally clicks. This is Clover, or Bug, as everyone else calls her. They look so similar with dark hair and deep brown eyes. She’s beautiful wearing just a t-shirt and little jersey shorts, long legs stretched out onto the bar stool next to her.

I join them and wrap my arms around her too. “I’m so happy to finally meet you. I have heard so much about you,” I tell her.

“Not as much as I have heard about you, I’m sure,” she says with a smile. “My brother is a little bit obsessed with you.”

Grayson gives her a warning look and asks, “Where is mom?”

“She has retired for the evening,” Bug replies in a false English accent. I think she is pretending to be a butler.

“And why are you not sleeping, little sister? Waiting up for someone?” He asks with a smirk.

Her cheeks turn pink, but then she scowls. “No. Just tell me where my room is and I’ll be on my way. I’m exhausted.”

“Sure, it’s the master bedroom on the second floor,” he replies, giving the location of River’s bedroom. Our room is in the newly remodeled attic, so we gave River, the Beta of the pack, the old master bedroom.

“Fuck you, big brother,” Bug growls.

“Why are you going to pretend? Just to piss him off? Just to hurt him? He loves you and you love him. Grow up and cut the shit.”

Bug’s spoon makes a loud clank as it falls into the empty bowl, then the stool screeches as she pushes it away from the island and gets up and stalks off into the dark living room.

I glare at Grayson and he gives me a “what?” expression. “It’s her first day here. Be nice!” I snarl before walking away to join Bug.

I flick on the little light on the side table and the glow illuminate the tears on her cheeks. I sit down on the couch next to her and give her a side hug. “I’m sorry that your brother is an asshole,” I whisper to her.

She laughs loudly. “Oh God, you are so perfect for him. No one puts him in his place like that.”

I smile. “And you are perfect for River. He hasn’t stopped talking about you, you know.”

She hiccups and wipes the tears off her cheeks. “Did he sleep with anyone else since you guys got here?”

“Of course not,” I answer immediately and its true. River hasn’t so much as looked at another girl. That, combined with the glassy look his eyes get whenever he talks about Bug shows how much he cares about her.

“Are you sure? Because Raven said...” she starts, but Grayson cuts her off, handing us both a glass of wine.

“Raven is full of shit and she’s getting on my nerves. She keeps trying to start trouble with Clara and I’m trying so hard not to lose it on her.” He looks to me, “I want you to fight your own battles, but she’s making it really hard.”

“Seriously?” Bug asks, with a face like she tasted something bitter. “Fucking with your Alpha’s mate? She has balls. She probably thinks that because you are this tiny little thing that she could take you, but I know your family history. You are full blooded Alpha. You just need to shift and you can hand her her ass.”

I nearly choke on my wine, laughing so hard. I’m still sputtering when the side door opens and River strolls in. The moment he takes his first breath in the room, he pauses and turns. His eyes light up and his nostrils flare.

He pounces on Bug and they would have knocked me over if Grayson hadn’t wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me up towards him. River buries his nose in the crevice between Bug’s neck and shoulder, taking deep breaths and enjoying her scent. “I missed you so much,” he mumbles against her skin.

“Never again,” he whimpers before capturing her lips with his own. Grayson pulls me around the couch and we back into the kitchen. “Never,” Bug agrees.

“Do you think they will end up mating tonight, even after Bug’s little freak out?” I ask, far enough away from the couple that they won’t hear.

“Definitely,” Grayson says, looking into my eyes. We share a secret smile, both of us thinking of our own mating and how wonderful it was.

You would think that with all the excitement, we would go upstairs and renew our blood bond and we did go upstairs, but instead of passionate love making, we both crawled into bed. Grayson’s front spoon against my back and we fell asleep, almost instantly, wrapped up in each other.

Gray Lake Wolves Part 5

It takes a few days, but the pack falls into an easy rhythm. Our second night there, I walked into the formal dining room to see the plain table had been replaced by a long, hand carved masterpiece with an intricate design. There’s a full moon over an expansive lake. I realize immediately that it is meant to be the lake right outside the cabin. The pines surround, looking impossibly realistic. Facing the lake is a wolf pack. There’s a knot in the wood at the forefront of the pack, obscuring the wood into a deep reddish brown. There, carved inside the knot is a little wolf and beside her is a larger wolf. The wood on that wolf has been burned, giving the wolf an ashy gray color. Tears form in my eyes, knowing for certain who those two wolves are.

I back up and turn to leave the room, a little too quickly, I guess, because I slam into Grayson who is standing in the entry way. I see the concern in his face and then remember the tears in my eyes. I brush them away, giving him a shaky smile. “It’s so beautiful” I tell him, gesturing to the table behind me.

He beams. “I’m glad you like it. It took me a long time to find the right piece of wood. I needed that knot in that exact spot.”

My mouth pops open. “You made that?”

He nods and looks a little bashful. Wrapping my arms around him, I say, “I love it” and I wondering if I’m just talking about the table.

We spend every night eating at that table with the whole pack. I stick with the kitchen when tasks are divided amongst the pack. Abram ends up being my biggest helper there. Mandy stays close, but usually ends up being more trouble than she’s worth. The first day, she nearly gave us all food poisoning. A day later she just about cut off her finger.

After a week of preparing every meal, Grayson suggests having a day each week that we grill outside instead. He thinks I need a break and I appreciate it, but I really love the kitchen. As the central hub of the house, there are always pack members filtering in and out. I feel like I get a chance to speak to each one. 

While I’m preparing beef stew for dinner, Griffin saddles up next to me with a carrot hanging out of his mouth. “Every memory I have of your mother are of her standing in the kitchen. You look so much like her” He tell me.

Instantly, my eyes fill. I put down the knife I was using to chop potatoes and wrap my arms around his waist. He gives me a few awkward pats on the back before wiggling away. He glances at the space behind me nervously and I’m confused until a warm hand touches my shoulder.

I instantly recognize Grayson’s scent. He wraps me up in his arms and carries me upstairs to our loft. We lay on the bed as my tears turn to sobs and quiet back down into snuffles. He’s stays with me the whole time, stroking my hair and holding me close.

When I finally feel like I can talk I ask him, “How can you miss someone so much that you barely remember?”

“How old were you when she was killed?” He asks me and I’m not surprised that he already knows who I’m talking about. He just seems to have this uncanny sixth sense about me.

“Three” I tell him.

He caresses my face gently. “Barely weaned” He mumbles and he looks sad for me. It is sad and he doesn’t even know the worst parts. Looking into his eyes, I know this is the right moment to tell him everything.

“I was there” I whisper and he stops his movements for a moment. With wide eyes he asks, “What?”

“I was there when she was killed” I tell him and go on to explain, “She was pregnant. Very pregnant. So close to the end that she couldn’t shift anymore. She took me for a walk to a shallow stream so I could splash around and cool off on a hot summer day. The wolf came out of no where. It was rabid, I think, and there were hunters in the area that I were probably harassing it. She pushed me up in a tree and stood in front. I screamed and screamed for help, but it didn’t matter by the time anyone got there.”

My sobs start up again and it takes me a moment to catch my breath. Grayson has moved us so that he’s sitting upwards against the headboard and I’m cradled in his arms. He rocks and shushes me, kissing my head and wiping away my tears. “It was awful. She kept trying to shift, but the baby was too big. There was blood everywhere. The baby was ripped out of her womb and flung a few feet away.” My stomach rolls. I never told anyone that last part. I jump off Grayson’s lap and run for the bathroom. I make it just in time to be sick all over the inside of the toilet.

Grayson follows me in and holds back my hair. When I’m done, he uses a damp washcloth to cool off my face and neck. Embarrassed, I brush my teeth while he runs the bath behind me. When I’m done, he strips off my clothes and his and leans back in the tub with me in front of him. I relax back into him.

“There’s one more thing,” I tell him, my voice just a whisper, “The wolf was gray.”

I feel him tense behind me and breathe a curse against my hair. I know what he must be thinking about. When he found me alone in the woods. Him in his wolf form and me in my human. He tackled me to the ground and snarled at me until I submitted, then just ran off into the woods he came from.

“It’s okay,” I soothe, reaching behind me direct his face towards mine. His eyes are full of regrets. “You were just a child.”

He scoffs. “I wondered for years why you were so afraid that day. I thought you knew I would never hurt you. I was just so mad and I wanted you to... fuck,” He stops and turns me around to straddle his lap. “That was the day I found out about our mating. When I shifted and ran out of the meeting, I ran into you. Cedar had just taken his mate and it seemed like they could never be apart. Days before that, we had plans to go into town. He promised to get me a new wood-carving knife. Then she went into heat and he was gone with her for three days. I thought I was showing you who was in charge. I wanted to show you that you would never own me.”

I cup his face in my hands and ask, “Did it work?”

“Hmm?” He says, still contemplating his past actions.

“Did you show me?” I ask, licking my lips slowly.

“Baby, you completely own me” He growls against my lips before crushing his mouth to mine.

Our movements are fast and frenzied. I know he’s seeking approval that we are still okay and I don’t care. I just want him. Water sloshes out of the tub as he directs me over his hard cock. I sink down on him and start to ride him hard. Water pouring over the edges, we are rocking together. I feel my pussy starting to contract as he wiggles his hand between us to rub against my clit. I find my spot on his neck, the one that wears the mark from out first mating. Call it magic, but that first mark will stay forever while the rest of our bites, bruises, and scrapes will heal super fast with our werewolf genetics.

I lick the skin around the bite mark, then suck it into my mouth and nibble on the tender flesh. I’m teasing him and he doesn’t like it. He thrusts up harder, hitting a whole new spot, and I feel my orgasm approaching. He bites first, coming inside me and I milk him with my own release, biting him harder and drawing his blood into my mouth.

When the spasms stop, he slides out of me. “Baby, you fucking little tease,” He says against my mouth before kissing lower, down my chest, lifting me slightly so my breasts are mouth level. “I didn’t even get a chance to say hello to these two beautiful peaches.” He leans to take a nipple into his lips and I arch into his mouth. He pays them equal attention, lavishing both breasts. He releases one with a pop and I whimper, grinding myself against his leg.

“Again?” He asks with a smirk. “Baby, you’re going to have to give me a couple minutes.”

I bite my lip and slide my hand down my stomach. His eyes follow and widen. “Fuck, Baby, yes” He coaches me on. I flick my finger over my clit, but when I go to slide them inside, it feels too weird. The bath water is slipping in between my fingers and washing away the natural lubricant I’m making. The tight fit around Grayson’s cock must be the difference of why that worked and this isn’t.

Frustrated, I put my knees on his legs and raise myself up so that I’m kneeling with my pussy just above the water level. His eyes are on me and it makes me wetter. I continue my flicking and when I swoop down inside, I gasp. I push two fingers in and out, hitting my G-spot, while thumbing my little nub. Grayson’s hands are all over me, caressing my hips and ass. I come quickly, using my hand to steady myself on the wall behind Grayson’s head.

He pulls me closer and guides me knees to the flat spots on the edges of the tub that are meant to hold shampoos and soap. He sinks deeper into the water, so that his face is right between my legs. His large hand settles on my hip and guides me down over his mouth. Already sensitive from two orgasms, I squeak when his tongue touches me. 

Its strangely erotic, the way I’m sitting on his face and the intimate view he must have right now. It brings a renewed sense of lust that tingles throughout my body. His tongue is hot and a little rough. He just works my clit and I find myself moving so he can have better access to the rest, but he avoids penetrating me with that delicious tongue and, instead, just teases along the outside.

My orgasm sneaks up on me. One of my hands sinks into Grayson’s hair while the other continues supporting me against the tile. I rest my forehead on my arm, completely and utterly spent. I’m vaguely aware of Grayson standing up and turning me around to face him. I don’t say anything, just switch my resting position from my arm to his chest. I can feel the rumble of the chuckle running through him, but I can’t be bothered to look up at his face right now.

“Do you want to take a nap, Baby?” He asks me and I nod against his chest. He laughs again when I fail to move my body. My legs feel like jelly and I can barely keep my eyes open. He scoops an arm under my knees and lifts me up. He brings me to our bed and tucks me under the covers. When he turns to leave, I snake an arm out to grab him.

“Mmmm” I say, unable to form words. 

“I have some work to do, Baby” He tells me, but I don’t care. I just want him. A low growl comes from deep in my throat and I grip him tighter. “Okay, Baby” He laughs, climbing into the bed next to me. I snuggle into his side with my head resting on his chest. 

~

I wake up alone and in the dark. The alarm clock reads 9:55 PM. I slept away the entire afternoon and part of the evening. Pulling one of Grayson’s shirts over my head, I padded down the stairs and into the open kitchen and living room. The room was dark. A projector lit an empty wall and it took me a minute to realize that there was a move playing. Twilight! The movie was Twilight! It must have been the second one because there were big fury wolves that looked nothing like our real wolf forms.

It appeared most of the pack was here, sprawled out on couches or snuggled up together on bean bags covering the floor. I found Grayson quickly. He was sitting on the leather love seat next to River. My eyes immediately searched for Raven, knowing she wouldn’t be far and of course, I found her on a bean bag on the floor so close to Grayson’s leg that her hair was brushing against his jeans. As usual, he was paying her no attention. Instead, he and River were whispering back and forth while occasionally glancing up at the movie.

I made my way over to the two men, but Iris, who was seated on the couch beside the one that held Grayson and River, jumped up. “Hey Clara!” She said, smiling nervously, “Do you want to sit here?”

I glanced around, trying to figure out her angle, but I couldn’t see why she was being kind to me. Maybe she was trying to keep me away from Grayson? Maybe she was just trying to be nice? It didn’t matter either way so I told her, “No thanks,” and finished my route to Grayson.

“Hey Baby,” He said, reaching out and pulling me into his lap like it was the most natural thing in the world. I lean into him, my back against the arm of the couch and my legs stretching out toward River. River takes one of my feet into his hand and measures it against his palm. “Are you feeling better, Princess?” He asks me while Grayson takes my foot out of his hand and gives him a slight growl.

I nod against Grayson’s chest and feel my cheeks heat. I’m embarrassed by my reactions lately. I’m emotional and I know why. My heat cycle is going to be starting up. I know I need to talk to Grayson and decide if we are going to try for a pup this cycle, but that isn’t a conversation we should have here.

“Can I talk to you?” I whisper to him. Getting up, he takes my hand and kisses the palm before intertwining our fingers. He grabs a thick knit blanket from the back of the couch and leads me on to the porch. It takes a minute for us to get adjusted. He wraps the blanket around his shoulders and settles me into his lap. The moon is high and nearly full, lighting our faces just enough that I can see any expressions he makes.

“Thank you for earlier,” I start, but his slow smirk makes me think he is misunderstanding and then I laugh, realizing he thinks I am thanking him for he amazing sex. “Well, thanks for that too, but I meant thank you for pulling me out of the kitchen. I don’t want the pack to see me like that.”

“Of course. I know that’s not like you. You have something else to tell me, don’t you?” He asks with a small smile.

“My heat cycle is going to be starting soon” I confess.

He nods. “Do you know what you want to do yet?”

“No” I whisper. I look down so I don’t have to see his face. I don’t know what he’s thinking and it’s driving me crazy. 

His hand caresses my neck and tilts my face up to meet his eyes. “We can do whatever you want. I’m ready. I want to put a baby in your belly. I want to be a father. I want you to be the mother of my children...” I bite my lip and try to look down again, but he’s not allowing it. “But, I know how difficult this must be for you. We can wait as long as you like. I will do the runs at the border of the property and you can stay in our room. You are mated now, so the other males will stay away from you. Just in case, I’ll have the women and Abram check on you and bring you what you need.”

My shoulder slump in relief. I’m not sure if I was more worried that he would say he didn’t want to take advantage of this cycle or if he did. His answer was perfect. He’s perfect. I smile at him and the way he is looking at me makes my heart skip a beat. I snuggle into his chest and feel something hard poking my bottom. I attempt to stifle my giggle, but I guess it doesn’t work because Grayson tickles my thigh and asks, “You think that’s funny do you?”

That hand that was tickling glides seductively up my leg while he says, “You come down here dressed in my shirt, with your hair all messy and smelling like sex and you expect me not to be hard? Baby, I had a hard time not throwing you down on the living room floor and sinking into you in front of the whole pack.”

I gasp. Tingles spread down my body and I know I’m getting wet. His roaming hands are now at the hem of the shirt and he slips one up and over my hip. Now it’s his turn to gasp. “Where are your panties?” He asks, while sliding to the front. He groans when he’s greeted by my wetness. I move to straddle his legs and kiss him hard on the mouth, sucking and biting his lower lip. 

While one hand continues to massage and tease between my legs, the other moves over my belly and up to my breasts. He thumbs my nipple, hardening it into a little peak before moving over to give its twin the same treatment. 

I’m getting braver at exploring his body. My hand sneaks up his shirt to rest on the planes of his stomach. His body is so hard everywhere mine is soft. I never knew touching someone could feel so amazing until him. I grip the hem of his shirt and a short whine comes out of my mouth. He chuckles and pulls his shirt off with one arm in a way that makes me want to lick every spot on his chest. So I do.

Starting behind on ear, I make my way down his body. Sucking, kissing, and nipping his skin. He smells so amazing, like man and forrest and rain and sweat. I want to taste him everywhere. By the time I get to his jeans, my mouth is watering. My tongue is aching to wrap around something. My taste buds are begging me to put him in my mouth.

That same little whine comes from my mouth when I try to get his pants off. It is so animalistic and I’m surprised by how much my wolf wants him as well. She recognizes her mate and wants to do anything she can to please him. He gets the picture and pulls off his jeans, but not before ripping my shirt over my head. Now we are both completely naked on the porch and I just don’t care. I want him.

I get down on my knees in front of the chair he is sitting on. “I’ve never done this before” I confess, searching his eyes for approval and I see it there. The lust is making his dark eyes so much darker. Through our blood bond, all I can feel is desire, hunger, and longing.

“You don’t have to...” He starts, but I stop him licking the underneath of his cock. He groans. A little bead of precum drips out of the hole on the tip. I bring my tongue to it and give it a taste. It taste salty and earthy and I want more. I put the whole thing in my mouth. The way it massages my tongue makes me moan. Wetness pools between my legs, making my thighs slick with my desire, while I bob my head up and down on his cock, taking it deep into my throat. One hand travels to his sack, where I caress and squeeze. With the other hand, I feel the ripples of his stomach muscles. The way the V shaped muscle between his hips feels makes me moan again, this time against the head of his cock. 

His fingers weave into my hair and he grips my head, not pushing, just giving himself some control. I take him deeper into my mouth. He pulls up on my hair and I let go of him with an audible pop. He pulls me up to standing, then stands himself. He looks so big and predatory. I back up and I’m not sure why. I want him, but my body isn’t sure if he’s dangerous. He stalks toward me and keep backing up until my back hits the railing of the porch. My legs are telling me to flee, but my pussy is telling me to fuck.

He grabs my jaw and claims my mouth. I wrap my arms around him. My hard nipples rub against his chest and my breasts feel big and full. They are aching to be touched and Grayson doesn’t disappoint. He pinches the nipple, then snakes his hands down to grab my ass. He lifts me up, lines himself up, and sinks into me in one swift move. I cry out. I was ready, but he’s huge and it still takes a moment to get use to the size.

He doesn’t give me that moment. He pounds into me, relentlessly. My body is trying to figure out the boundary between pleasure and pain until it all just falls over and I come around his cock. “Again” He murmurs against my lips, then slides nearly all the way out before ramming  back in again. I whimper. His teeth run along my jaw. “Come” He tells me, nipping the skin on my neck, and I do, throwing my head back in ecstasy. He pumps his cock into me and I feel it erupting, hot come squirting out and coating my inner walls. He bites me and I turn my head to bite him back. Breathing hard, he rest his head on my shoulder.

I hear the door open and my body freezes. “Fucking rabbits” River mutters, pulling off his t-shirt. I hide my face in Grayson’s chest. He must give River a dirty look because River says, “What? I waited until you were done! I’m going to go check the perimeter. Have a nice night Princess.” I squeak out something that sounds like, “You, too” and then hear the tell tale sounds of shifting. River bounds away and into the moonlit woods.

~

The next morning at breakfast, Grayson tells me that he and River are traveling to town. The trip is a little long, but I miss the human town we lived next to in the Pine Mountain pack. “Can I come?” I ask.

“Of course” Gray murmurs, nuzzling my neck. River walks by and says, “If you come, promise I won’t be listening to the sound track of you two swapping spit the whole ride” but he says it with a smile, so I know that he’s happy for us.

“I’ll drive” Grayson says, pulling River into a headlock and giving him a noogie. River tries to kick Grayson leg out from under him and eventually they are wrestling on the floor. Iris walks in and snorts. 

“Is this normal for them?” I ask the blonde. She was friendly towards me last night and I want to extended the olive branch. She lights up when she hears me speak.

“Very. This pretty much sums up our childhood. Wait until Bug gets here, she’ll just jump in and start beating the shit out of them both until River tries to hump her leg.”

“Literally?” I ask and she spews a mouthful of orange juice. I grab the towel and dry my face and then the floor. Coughing she says, “Sorry!”

She gets bumped from behind when someone brushes past her to make a plate. I tilt my head to the kitchen door and she nods. We both take our plates to the small eating area on the deck outside. Sitting down, it feels weird to be talking to Iris, but good to talk to another female. I miss my best friend and I can’t wait until she turns 18 and joins us in a few months.

“Do you know Clover well?” I ask, taking a fork full of eggs and sausage.

“We grew up together. She doesn’t like Raven very much, so you two will probably get along well. No one calls her Clover though, just Bug.”

“She sounds fun. I’m excited to meet her. She’ll be here in a couple days. I think some of the other pack members are escorting her. Do you miss it?”

Her eyes take on a far away look and she blinks rapidly. I take her hand in mine and she  bites her lip and shakes her head like she can shake her eyes clear. “I just miss one person.”

“Oh” I say, surprised, just the other morning she was trying to sneak out of Griffin’s bedroom. She must read my mind because she laughs. 

“Yeah, the best way to get over a guy is to get other another?”

“Did it work?” I ask and her smile drops. “Oh, no” I say, “Tell me about him.”

“His name is Niko. We were in love. We were waiting until I turned 18 and we were going to mate and then the Alpha dropped this bomb on us. I was on the list to come and he was on the list to stay. He broke up with me the next day and told me ‘a clean break will heal quicker’. I went to his house that night to try to get him back and there was another girl there...”

“Asshole!” I say, interrupting her.

“No, not really. I talked to the girl the next day. He asked her to come over, but then got so drunk that she just put him to bed and left. She said that she didn’t want to take advantage of him and he wasn’t over me. Apparently, Griffin did not feel the same way.”

“He would have, if he knew all this. He’s a good guy. His little sister is my best friend. You were really drunk that night and you didn’t make a good impression.”

She winces. “I’m sorry about that. Raven is my friend, but she can be a bitch. She needs to get over this thing with Grayson. You guys are amazing together. The perfect Alphas.”

“I get it. Scorned lover? I’m not sharing though.”

Iris laughs, throwing her head back. Her blonde curls bounce and she looks so young and carefree for a moment. “Lover? Psshhh. They were never together. Though no one else knows that by the way she talks.”

“What?” I ask, my mouth gaping, showing off a lovely bite of my breakfast, I’m sure.

“Yeah, she wishes. Her older sister and Gray were...um...” She hesitates and gives me a sympathetic look.

“Go ahead and say it,” I tell her, “I know he wasn’t a virgin.”

“They were fuck buddies.” She says quickly and, although I shutter at that hard pill to swallow, it actually is better than I thought. I expected a real relationship.

She continues with the story, “She ran off to Oregon a few months ago. They have family there. I kind of thought Raven would go too, actually, but she seemed to get it in her mind that once her sister left she would have Grayson all to herself. By then, he was already living here, getting this place ready for the new pack, and she came to try to seduce him. I came with her, just to check out the area. When we got here, River told us they had to air out the house. You had just left after spending your heat cycle here and Grayson was going crazy over your scent. Needless to say, she didn’t make any headway with him that day or any day after.”

I smiled. “You love him, don’t you?” She asked and I looked away, blushing. She smiled too. A real, honest, happy smile. Grayson was right. Our pack does want their Alpha couple to have a strong relationship.

Of course Iris was right about loving him too. I’m not sure when it happened. I went from being terrified of him to missing him every second he was away. My body ached for him, but my heart wanted him close even more.

By the time Grayson and River pulled up in a pick up truck filled with their hand carved wood items, I felt the beginnings of a fragile friendship growing between Iris and I.